As we reported last night, the Ministry of Natural Resources has granted
permission to survey three properties on Mapp Caye which is a mangrove island
the eastern edge of the Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary. Now there are some
nature reserves like the one in Corozal Bay that only protect the water –
but we’ve checked, and Swallow Caye isn’t one of them.

The law enacting the Swallow Caye Sanctuary states that it is comprised
by, quote, “all that piece or parcel of land and water east of Belize
City in the Belize District in including Swallow Caye and Mapps Cay, comprising
of approximately 8,970.13 acres.” So it covers land and water and
by the coordinates we’ve pegged in – the property is on Mapp’s
Caye – within the reserve. That means that giving the permission to survey
the properties is hopefully, an error and one the Ministry of Natural Resources
would have to correct. If they do intend to correct it, they would have to give
the three persons who’ve been given permission to survey property somewhere
else. As we reported last night, the three parcels of land were designated as
compensation for island property that Sharon Fraser, Wayne Fraser and Rurico
Alvarado lost on the Montego Bay Development when the last government conveyed
that to a developer with close ties to the PUP.

But right now we don’t know for sure what the Ministry of Natural
Resources will do because we were unable to reach the Minister who just returned
to the country today, or the CEO who won’t be in until next week. We did
speak with the Public Relations Officer who promised to get back to us but at
news time, had not. And that uncertainty is rattling the man who set up the reserve, Lionel “Chocolate'” Heredia. The reserve is his passion
and he’s worked for going on two decades to get it established. Now that
a portion is on the block – the 79 year old says it’s driving him
crazy.

Lionel “Chocolate'” Heredia, Activist“In five days it is my birthday, I will complete 80 years but I left
kinda of shaky. Why? Because if you don’t have a government that minds
our natural resources and the mangroves, it is very important those mangroves,
if they would ever get out there, the Minister, I would take him and show him
what is in those mangroves and thing. I would do it so they have more courage
to save the mangroves especially. Belize is rich in a lot of natural resources.”

Jules Vasquez,
When you meet with the Minister you will ask him to please not grant title or
lease on that property?

Lionel “Chocolate'” Heredia,“Jules you what I even will do, I will get down from my chair and
kneel down and say please Minister don’t do that. I worked hard many years
for this place.”

Jules Vasquez,
Right now how are the manatee populations in that area?

Lionel “Chocolate'” Heredia,“The biggest population is there and then you can go right there and
you don’t have to chase them, they come around the boat. So beautiful,
there is not another place like Swallow Caye in Belize.”

Chocolate' hopes he can have that meeting with the Minister by next
week when his wife – who helped him set up the sanctuary – returns
from the United States. We’ll keep you posted.